sixty

sixty

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Pronunciation

The IPA phonetic spelling for "sixty" is /ˈsɪk.sti/.

Here's a breakdown of the sounds by syllable:

• First Syllable: /sɪk/

• /s/: voiceless alveolar fricative (as in "snake")

• /ɪ/: near-close near-front unrounded vowel (as in "kit")

• /k/: voiceless velar plosive (as in "cat")

• Second Syllable: /sti/

• /s/: voiceless alveolar fricative (as in "snake")

• /t/: voiceless alveolar plosive (as in "top")

• /i/: close front unrounded vowel (as in "fleece")

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Word Form Variations

"Sixty" primarily functions as a number or an adjective. As such, it doesn't have typical singular/plural variations in the same way a noun does.

• Base Form (Cardinal Number/Adjective): sixty

You might see "sixties" in specific contexts:

• Noun (referring to a decade): the sixties (e.g., "music from the sixties")

• Noun (referring to a range of ages): in her sixties (e.g., "a woman in her sixties")

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Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms

Numeral

sixty

1. Definition: The cardinal number equivalent to the product of six and ten; one more than fifty-nine and one less than sixty-one. It is represented by the Arabic numeral 60.

• Synonyms: N/A (as it's a specific number)

• Antonyms: N/A (as it's a specific number)

Adjective

sixty

1. Definition: Pertaining to or consisting of the quantity of sixty. Used to describe a group or amount that totals sixty units.

• Synonyms: sexagenarian (when referring to age), sexagesimal

• Antonyms: N/A (as it describes a specific quantity)

Noun

sixties (plural form, used in specific contexts)

1. Definition: The decade from 1960 to 1969, often characterized by significant social, cultural, and political changes.

• Synonyms: The Nineteen Sixties, the Swinging Sixties (informal, often referring to cultural aspects)

• Antonyms: N/A

2. Definition: The age range of 60 through 69 years old.

• Synonyms: sexagenarian years

• Antonyms: N/A

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Examples of Use

• Books:

• "He spent sixty days traversing the desert, a journey that tested his limits." (From a historical adventure novel, The Sahara Odyssey)

• "The legal firm celebrated its sixty-year anniversary with a grand gala, inviting all past and present employees." (From a corporate history book, Pillars of Justice)

• Newspapers:

• "The city council approved the new budget, allocating sixty million dollars to infrastructure projects." (From The Daily Gazette)

• "A rare collection of stamps, estimated to be worth sixty thousand dollars, was stolen from the local museum last night." (The Evening Herald)

• Online Publications:

• "New research suggests that individuals over sixty who maintain a regular exercise routine show significant cognitive benefits." (From Health & Wellness Today online magazine)

• "The popular video game franchise announced its sixty-percent off sale for the holiday season, drawing in millions of new players." (From IGN.com)

• Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:

• Film: In the movie Forrest Gump, Jenny tells Forrest, "I want to live with you in a little house with sixty acres of land." (Paramount Pictures, July 1994)

• Music: The song "When I'm Sixty-Four" by The Beatles is a well-known example. (From Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Parlophone, June 1967)

• Television Series: "She's always been full of energy, even in her late sixties." (From the dialogue of a character in the drama series The Crown, Netflix, November 2023)

• Video Games: Many racing games feature a speedometer, where players aim to reach speeds of "one hundred sixty miles per hour" or "kilometers per hour." (Common in racing games like Forza Horizon)

• General Public Discourse:

• "I'll be there in about sixty minutes, traffic's a bit heavy." (Casual conversation between friends)

• "They're building a new apartment complex with over sixty units near the park." (Local community meeting)

• "Can you believe it's been nearly sixty years since the first moon landing?" (Discussion among colleagues)

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10 Quotes Using Sixty

1. "Life begins at sixty." (Sophia Loren)

2. "I've got sixty-five songs and I've written sixty-five songs, and all of them are about falling in love." (Justin Timberlake)

3. "At sixty, I'm a late bloomer in the garden of life." (Unknown)

4. "By the time I was sixty, I knew how to do everything that I could do." (Robert Mapplethorpe)

5. "A man of sixty has spent twenty years in bed and over three years in eating." (Arnold Bennett)

6. "You're not sixty, you're sixteen with forty-four years experience." (Unknown)

7. "When you get to be sixty, you're the one who can tell the younger people what's what." (Unknown)

8. "My father was a workaholic. He worked till he was sixty." (Will Ferrell)

9. "Don't worry about being a sexagenarian; just be a sixty-year-old." (Unknown)

10. "I am pushing sixty and feel I have just started." (Robert Frost)

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Etymology

The word "sixty" comes from old Germanic roots, specifically from Old English.

Think of it like this:

• The "six-" part is clearly related to the number six.

• The "-ty" part is a common ending in English numbers (like twenty, thirty, forty) that basically means "ten" or "group of ten."

So, sixty literally meant "six tens."

The earliest known use of a word like "sixty" can be traced back to Old English as siextig or sixtig. It appeared in texts from around the 9th or 10th century. At that time, and ever since, its meaning has been consistent: to represent the cardinal number that follows fifty-nine and precedes sixty-one. It has always referred to that specific quantity, a group made up of six sets of ten.

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Phrases + Idioms Containing Sixty

• Sixty-four dollar question: The most important and difficult question, the answer to which is crucial.

• Sixty-six books of the Bible: Refers to the canonical number of books in the Protestant Bible.

• A stitch in time saves sixty-four: (A less common variation of "a stitch in time saves nine," emphasizing a greater saving.)

• Over sixty/In one's sixties: Referring to someone's age being more than sixty years old, or within the decade from 60 to 69.

• Sixty percent of the battle: Indicating that a large majority or crucial part of an effort is complete or achieved.

• Pushing sixty: Approaching the age of sixty.

• From zero to sixty (in X seconds): Used in car performance to describe acceleration, but also metaphorically for rapid progress or development.

• Sexagenarian milestone: A significant event or achievement occurring around the age of sixty. (Using a synonym for "sixty" as a numerical prefix)

• Sixty-minute sprint: A period of intense effort lasting one hour.

• Turn sixty: To reach the age of sixty.

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Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA

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Source Information

Definition of sixty from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.

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